Combined cigarette-package, matchbook and ashtray holder



Dec. 29, 1959 P. s. ALLEN 2,919,018

COMBINED CIGARETTEPACKAGE, MATCHBOOK AND ASH-TRAY HOLDER Filed June 10, 1957 IN V EN TOR,

PAM/)3 5. All.

BY W

United States Patent I COMBINED CIGARETTE-PACKAGE, MATCH- BOOK AND ASHTRAY HOLDER Philip S. Allen, Carlsbad, Calif.

Application June 10, 1957, Serial No. 664,656

4 Claims. (Cl. 20638) My invention relates to a holder for a cigarette package of the form adapted to be carried in a persons pocket to prevent the cigarettes from being crushed, and the sifting of tobacco from the cigarettes.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a holder of the above described character, which includes means for attaching thereto a matchbook and in position thereon convenient for removing a match therefrom to light a cigarette.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a cigarette-package holder having embodied therein an ash tray which can be partly extended from the holder for. use, or completely removed therefrom both for use and dumping.

A further purpose of my invention is the provision of a cigarette-package holder which is capable of accommodating a regular-size or a king-size package of cigarettes, and an ash tray adapted to be mounted in the holder to coact therewith for. retaining therein a regularsize package, or removable therefrom and attachable to one end of the holder so that the latter can now accommodate and retain aking-size package therein.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide means for lockingthe tray on the casing and yet permitting part extension of the tray from the casing for use.

I will describe only two forms of combined cigarettepackage, matchbook and ash-tray holder, each embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in perspective one form of holder embodying my invention, and including an ash tray on the lower end thereof, and a cigarette package of king size in position for insertion into the holder.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with a king-size cigarette package therein, and a matchbook attached to the holder.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the ash tray mounted within the holder as distinguished from Fig. 2, and a regular-size cigarette package in the holder.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of ,Fig. .1.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the ash tray.

Fig. 6 is a, view showing in perspective another form of holder embodying my invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the holder shown in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a casing C of rectangular 2 skeleton form which is preferably made of suitable plastic material, and includes an upper end or top wall 15, a lower end or bottom wall 16, side walls 17 and 18, and a rear wall 19. The side wall 18 may be cut out as shown leaving corner posts connecting the end walls.

The casing 'C is without a front wall so as to provide a rectangular opening 20 through which a cigarette package 21 of king size can be inserted into the holder or partly or completely removed therefrom as required in the use of the cigarettes therein, as will be understood. Moreover, the spacing of the walls 15 and 16 and that of the walls 17 and 18 are such that the package 21 will be snugly received in the holder to prevent accidental removal thereof and yet it can be readily slid therefrom.

The package 21 is limited in its movement inwardly into the casing by the rear wall 19 which is cut out to leave a rectangular flange 1% which provides an abutment for the package so that it cannot be pushed out or" that side of the casing.

The side wall 17 of the casing is provided with a U- shaped slot 22 to form between the parallel portions thereof a tongue 23. The tongue and the slot are employed to mount a matchbook 24 on the casing, and, as will be understood from reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the book is applied to the tongue by extending the back portion 24a of the book cover to the inner side of the tongue so that the tongue is disposed between the matches and the cover back as clearly shown in Fig. 2 and in broken lines in Fig. 1, and whereby the matchbook is mounted on the casing against accidental removal even when pulling a match therefrom to light a cigarette.

Provision is made in my invention for mounting a tray 25 for ashes and cigarette butts either on the lower end wall 16 of the casing, or on the lower side of the upper end wall 15. With the tray mounted on the wall 16, the interior of the casing can snugly accommodate a cigarette package of king size as will be evident from a consideration of Fig. 2. When the tray 25 is mounted on the lower side of the top wall 15 the interior of the casing is so reduced in length as to accommodate only a cigarette package 26 of regular size, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and snugly so to prevent accidental removal of the package form the casing.

Various means may be employed for mounting the ash try 25 in either of the afore-described positions on the casing, and for this purpose the walls 15 and 16, and the tray 25 are constructed as follows:

The tray, which is likewise constructed of suitable plastic material, is of rectangular form, and of a length and width corresponding substantially to that of either end wall 15 or 16, and the top thereof is open. The top longitudinal edges of the tray are formed with inturned flanges 27, while the upper transverse edge of the tray is formed with an inturned flange 28 which bridges the trailing ends of the flanges 27. The leading ends of the flanges 27 are coplanar with the leading end wall of the tray, and such wall is reduced in height to form entrance grooves 29 for flanges on the casing which can be extended beneath the flanges 27 to slidably mount the tray either on the lower wall 16 or the upper wall 15 of the casing by constructing these walls as follows;..

The lower sides of the casing walls 15 and 16 are each provided with a thickened portion 30 of less width and length than the wall, and which is formed along its longitudinal edges with grooves 31 coextensive in length therewith, to provide flanges or tongues 32 of corresponding length. Similarly, one end of each portion 30 is formed with a groove 33 coextensive in length therewith to provide a flange 34 of corresponding length.

To apply the tray 25 to the bottom wall 16, the open ends of the flanges 27 are extended into the grooves 31 so that the flanges 27 coact with the flanges 32 to slidably support the tray on the wall. When the tray is pushed home on the wall the sides and ends of the tray are flush with the sides and ends of the casing,

and the top of the tray completely closed to confine against escape cigarette ashes or butts that may have been deposited therein. Also, the cigarette package contained in the casing is protected against being ignited by lighted cigarette butts deposited in the tray.

In the closed position of the tray the end flange 28 is extended into the groove 33, where it abuts the adjacent end of the portion 28, thus limiting inward sliding movement of the tray to the flush position above described. In this completely closed position of the tray the flange 28 is disposed to the upper side of the end flange 34.

To releasably retain the tray in closed position so that when not in use it cannot accidentally slide off of the casing or even to open position, parts of the tray and wall may be so constructed that any contacting surfaces of the two will have frictional engagement one with the other when the tray is pushed to closed position on the casing. In the present instance, the tray flange 28 is bevelled on its underside, as indicated at 28a in Fig. 4, so that it has binding engagement with the upperside of the flange 34 to a degree such as to retain the tray in closed position and yet permit ready pulling of the tray to open position.

The tray 25 can be mounted on the underside of the wall 15 in the same manner as described in connection with mounting of the tray on the wall 16, since the portion 30 thereon is of the same construction as the portion 30 of the wall 16. In completely closed position of the tray its distal end wall abuts the upper transverse end portion of the flange 19a. This flange portion and the adjacent ends of the longitudinal flange portions are shaped to form an opening 1%, shown in broken lines in Figs. 2 and 3. Through this opening, one may extend his finger to push the tray partway out of the casing to expose it for use.

From the preceding description of how the tray is applied to either end of the casing, it should be clear that to permit the king-size package 21 to be snugly and yet slidably received in the casing, as shown in Fig. 2, the tray is mounted on the end wall 16, and that to snugly and yet slidably receive the regular-size package 26 in the casing, the tray is detached from the lower end of the easing and mounted on the underside of the wall 15. The height of the tray is such that as so mounted it fills the space between the upper end of the package and the wall 15 so that the package fits snugly in the casing and yet can be readily slid therefrom for access to the cigarettes contained therein.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, I have here shown a form of holder which is especially designed for holding a cigarette package of regular size only. The casing of this holder indicated generally at C is of substantially the same construction as the casing C in the first form of my invention, and, hence, the same reference characters have been employed to designate those parts identical to corresponding parts of the casing C.

The interior dimensions of the casing C are such as to snugly and yet slidably receive the regular-size cigarette package 26, and only the lower end wall 16 is constructed to mount an ash tray thereon, the upper end wall 15 being without the thickened portion 30 and the flanges and grooves. The wall 16 is of the same construction as the wall 16 in the first form, except a lip 35 is formed on one end of the wall which provides an abutment for the tray to limit its sliding movement lengthwise thereon when closed to the flush position shown.

In addition, the portion 30 of the wall 16 is provided with a latch 36 which may be made by cutting out a part of such portion to form a resilient tongue that normally is urged to the extended position shown in Fig. 8, but can be moved to a position flush with the surface of the portion 30 by the tray to allow application of the latter to the wall.

The tray generally indicated at 25a, is substantially of the same construction as the tray 25 in Fig. 5, the only difference being it is shorter and has rounded outer sides and ends to eliminate sharp corners and present a tapered form to the lower part of the tray which facilitates insertion of the whole holder into ones pocket, particularly a short pocket. The reason for making the tray shorter is that when the leading end of the tray abuts the innerside of the lip 35, the tray will be completely closed.

From a consideration of Fig. 8, it will be clear that the latch 36 while permitting application of the tray 25a to the holder, once applied the latch serves to lock it against complete removal by one end wall of the tray engaging the latch as shown in broken lines, and yet it permits the tray to he slid to a partly open position suflicient to allow ashes and butts to be deposited therein.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of combined cigarette-package, matchbook and ash-tray holder, each embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cigarette-package holder, including: a casing of rectangular form having an opening therein through which a cigarette package of king-size or regular-size can be inserted edgewise into or removed from the casing; a' tray for ashes; means on the tray and means exteriorly on one end of the casing adapted to slidably mount the tray on said casing end; and a second means on the inner side of one end of the casing accessible through said opening, the second means coacting with the means on the tray, thereby slidably mounting the tray within the casing; and the tray of a height slightly less than the diflierence in length of a king-size package and a regular-size package of cigarettes so that when the tray is mounted within the casing a regular-size cigarette package can be received in the casing between the tray and the remote end of the casing.

2. A cigarette-package holder, including: a casing of rectangular form having an opening in one side wall thereof through which a cigarette package can be ex-.

tended edgewise into the casing; the inner side of one end wall and the outer sideof the other end wall formed on their longitudinal edges with grooves adapted respectively to slidably receive the flanges on the longitudinal edges of a tray for movably mounting it in or on the casing.

3. A cigarette-package holder, including: a casing of rectangular form having an opening therein through which a cigarette package having an open top can be inserted edgewise into the casing leaving the open top spaced from one end Wall of the casing; a tray having an open top; and coacting means on the inner side of said wall and on said tray adapted to slidably mount said tray in the casing so that it can be moved into and out of the casing, and when completely within the casing the top thereof is closed by said end wall.

4. A cigarette-package holder, including: a casing of rectangular form having a rectangular opening in one edge wall thereof through which an open top cigarette package can be slid edgewise into the casing leaving the open top spaced from one end wall of the opening; said end wall having in its inner side parallel spaced grooves extending longitudinally thereof and closed at their inner ends by the other edge wall of the casing, and opening'at References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 358,450 Hurlbut Mar. 1, 1887 6 Merrill Apr. 27, 1909 Richter Dec. 26, 1916 Burtis May 25, 1920 Meyerson Mar. 19, 1929 Deeks June 11, 1929 Baldwin May 25, 1943 Epler Feb. 19, 1952 Norris Mar. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS v Great Britain Jan. 26, 1928 

